Redhawk Caldera amberling

open to anyone who wants to learn fishing! <3

life without reyes was odd. teya thought about the conversation she and eljay had shared recently.
a sigh swelled her ribcage. near the rendezvous, teya identified a school of trout and dashed into the sunny shallows to strike at once, the focused work immediately clearing her mind of all but hunting.

Life was magical, according to Shenanigans. Every day was filled with adventures as she grew and learned, under the caring eyes of Eljay and Maia and alongside her slew of peers. They were her family now, her birth parents and Waxwing a dim memory mostly lost to time.

The pups spent most of their days at the rendezvous site, when they weren’t tailing one of the adults around the territory. Shenanigans woke from an afternoon nap to find herself alone there. She was a sociable little girl and promptly swept to her feet, eager to find company, even if it meant bending the rules.

The sound of a splash drew the pup’s attention. She trundled over to the water and spotted Teya. Shenanigans paused, fascinated as she watched the Raven dive into the water. She didn’t know what game Teya was playing but she wanted to play too!

her first strike brought nothing. her second landed a rainbow fish upon the grass. it inched and thrashed and struggled. teya looked up, tail swaying when she spotted shenanigans. "hey! want to come see?"
the fish would still be alive for the presumable future; the best way to kill them was a single blow.
her tongue lolled with the effort she had put in as she wondered if the pup would get closer. "it a trout."

While the pup stared, rapt, Teya dove a second time and produced a fish, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The puppy squealed at the invitation, scrambling forward to take a closer look at the critter flopping about on the shore.

Right around the time the Raven declared it a trout, the fish went still in the grass. Shenanigans reached out to touch its fin, causing it to resume its violent writhing as the pup let out an earsplitting giggle-scream.

teya flicked her ears but chuckled. "slimy!" she rolled the fish over, exposing its pale underbelly. "that best place to eat," she told the pup, before turning the hapless thing right side up once more.
teya struck a blow with her jaw to the back of the fish's head and it went limp. "kill quick," she explained. "not let suffer."
now that the trout was dispatched, she indicated that shenanigans could toy with it how she pleased.

Still chortling under her breath, Shenanigans calmed down to pay attention to Teya’s demonstration. She was still trying to wrap her mind around eating such a thing when Sorana’s mom used a word the youngster didn’t know.

Wiping idly at her mouth, she asked, What’s ‘suffer’?

"suffer like — when something, or someone, hurt while dying. not good to let it hurt. make the death quick."
being a sucessful hunter did not depend upon anguish, and it was a lesson that teya wanted to always impart.

She had never suffered, not really, though she understood pain to some extent. Shenanigans peered down at the dead fish more thoughtfully now, expression gone sober. Death and dying were a bit beyond her too, though she had seen enough slaughtered prey to understand it was the ceasure of movement.

Speaking of which, Teya had indicated that the belly was the best part to eat. Shenanigans quickly recovered from the heaviness of the conversation and tentatively touched her nose to the fish’s pale underside. It was indeed slimy, though at least it wasn’t flopping anymore.

Peeling her lips back from her teeth, she nibbled, her sharp teeth sinking into the surprisingly tender flesh like a hot knife through butter. A bunch of very smelly juices gushed out from inside the fish, which Shenanigans sniffed and then began to lick.

she watched with a fond air "good, hm? i love fish." she herself looked back out to the waters, swiping her tongue over her lips and yawning.
teya wondered if shenanigans remembered anything from her first life. it wasn't likely, the raven decided. "put fishbone in water, when done."
she had seen enough fish nibbling each other's carcasses to understand that it was a way to give back.

It’s yummy! Shenanigans replied, finishing slurping the juices and returning to the carcass only to shout, Ouch! It’s pokey! right at the same time Teya asked her to discard the bones when she was done.

Nose wrinkling, the child swished her tongue around her mouth, poking at the tender spot where a pinbone had jabbed her in the gums. She shot the Raven a questioning look, wondering how and why a dead fish had managed to stab her.

"fish have lots of little bones. lift with teeth," she demonstrated with a nearby twig. "how you like it? yummy? good! there lots of kinds of fish in water," she explained. "all taste good."
teya did a quick groom and stood to her paws. "you wanna sleep home with me or blackthorn den?" she asked, thinking of the hours to come and how her daughters moved so easily around the caldera.

As much as she’d enjoyed the fish, Shenanigans didn’t know if she liked food that bit back! She pushed the offending remains toward the water as instructed, then looked up right when Teya questioned her about her sleeping arrangements.

Yes! Shenanigans replied helpfully.

The mention of the Blackthorns made her look around abruptly, as if they might materialize. Of course, there was nobody around at present save for Teya and herself. Shenanigans pouted playfully, wondering where everyone was today.

I wanna go find Chicky-D! she announced. Can I?

"yes. go ahead." the raven touched her nose to shenanigans' forehead. "when you and chickadee choose, come find me. i be close." she pawed playfully at the pup, and would pretend to chase her a few feet before returning a look out over the water.
it was an expression that quickly drained of humour and warmth, replaced by a glassy look into the void that had consumed teya as of late.

Okay! Thanks, Teya! Shenanigans replied distractedly, nipping at the woman’s chin before pivoting on a heel.

She squealed a little when she heard footfalls pounding behind her. Shenanigans dipped her butt and tucked her tail against her belly as she scurried off to find Chickadee, her giggles echoing long after she disappeared from view.